


Thirty Below, Will Clear Up

by IdlePace



Category: The Yogscast
Genre: M/M, Winter driving, mentions of food
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-12 01:44:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7915636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IdlePace/pseuds/IdlePace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Long drives in the snow are always a chance. Take caution and stay warm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thirty Below, Will Clear Up

Another smash to the out dated heater was just as futile as the fist’s effort before it. Low puffs of warm air stewed centimetres in front of the vents before falling against the icy weather that seeped into the truck. Windshield wipers slapped in time with the exasperated chuckle. Along with the snow that gradually collected on the glass corners, it all slowly came to be miserably accepted.

Headlights were spotted by the heavy snow that continued to pelt the highway, hiding other cars until directly in front, always causing for a curse to burst from Sips’ lungs. Breaks, foul language, and an adjustment of his coat, all in perfect unaware routine.

Cigarette ends cluttered his ashtray, new additions joining as rolls were pulled from his pocket, finding it to be one of the only things keeping him warm. A click of his signal and a cautious merge pulled him into the slowest of the three lanes, needing to give his mind a small break from the ongoing five hour journey. 

Peering to the snowfall dotted signs at the side of the road, it was another low groan as the next pit stop claimed to be a large distance away. Gripping the steering wheel harder, the squeak from the material lacked volume to break his mind from the simmering irritation. Sips could only focus his eyes back to the slipping past signs. Another small city to pass through, another mileage marker, another driving PSA reminder, and then a body, with their thumb stretched out.

Sips’ foot found the break before his mind could decide, easing the paint chipped truck into the road’s shoulder. Even before he rolled down his passenger side window, he could feel the stranger second guessing their hitchhiking decision. “Are you immune to wind chill or something?! You have a death wish?”

The stranger took an unsteady step back into the snowbank behind him, caught off guard by the fervour in Sips’ words. “Um… no?” His voice barely cracked above the whipping wind.

Sips sucked at his teeth as he tried to control his volume, “Well just get in here already. You’re making me into a fish stick just looking at you.” A minor reaching struggle popped the door open, Sips taking a quick breather in his stretched position before sitting back to his side of the car.

There was only winter silence as the other man climbed into the car with minimal effort, his long legs doing most of the work. His dufflebag fell between his legs, crushing whatever fast food wrappers Sips had left on his car floor. The door slammed shut with an unsettling metallic noise, but proved to be less of an importance as the man stared in bewilderment at the roller windows before winding the crank to fully close out the weather.

Sips watched the stranger let out a shuddering breath that matched his body, hands rubbing himself down to warm his exposed skin. The outlandish sight of the man’s thin clothes sparked Sips’ head to shake; it was more than obvious the stranger didn’t understand the concept of winter.

“Buckle up. I’m getting this show on the road.” Pulling the parking break up in preparation, Sips checked his mirrors for oncoming traffic.

The man coughed as he snapped the seatbelt buckle in place, adjusting the strap to sit lower on his chest. “Wh-where are we going, um, sir?”

An airy chuckle vented from Sips as he took an extra moment of caution before merging back to the road. “I was going to ask you that. Pretty sure we’re not going to the same place buster.” A click to turn off his signal and Sips sunk back to his seat, getting ready for another long stretch of driving. “And it’s Sips by the way.”

The man’s knees seemed to glue together, “I’m Sjin…” His voice crackled, the cold winds sinking their toll into his body. “And… anywhere.”

“Anywhere?” Sips’ raised eyebrow turned into two as one couldn’t move without the other. “You on some kind of new age spiritual road trip?”

Sjin shook his head, pulling the sleeves on his shirt down lower. “No just, need to get away.” His body turned to the window, eyes glazing over the barren trees that passed by.

“Ah,” A heavy swallow found Sips before his words, “I understand little guy.”

“I’m not little!” Sjin’s head reared around instantly. “I’m mid-twenties!” The cross of his arms practically argued against his statement.

Sips buzzed his lips as he held back a chuckle. “I wasn’t saying anything about that, but now that you mention it…” He could feel the blazing angered gaze at his side, “You sure you aren’t like two?”

“Do I have to show you my driver’s licence?” His matter of fact tone paired with rummaging in his bag.

“Alright, I’ll believe you, but if you can drive we’re taking turns at the wheel.” Adjusting his back the twinge of sore muscles flared at him.

Sjin’s ferocity quieted with a turn of his body, “I can’t drive stick.” He muttered out the words with little shame dragging them down. “Who even has a stick shift car anymore? How old is this thing? Surprised it even works.” Rubbing his arms for the umpteenth time Sjin groaned as if he said his complaint many times before. “Goddamn, does the heating in this thing even work?”

Sips turned his head, making eye contact to underline his words. “You’ll mind your fucking language in this car.”

Even with the flat tone, Sjin could feel the joking sentiment and burst into a fit of laughter. His popping squeaks edged Sips to join, finding himself finally having a minute of enjoyment on his long drive. Wanting to continue the relaxed moment Sips ran with a follow up. “And that’s just rule number one in Sips’ great clunker bunker car.”

Sjin struggled to contain another laugh as he nodded along. “You have all you amenities available to you. Not one, but two cup holders.” Sjin awed, pulling a Vanna White to pair with Sips’ words. “A very packed glove container, with a surprising lack of gloves.” Sips bared his teeth in a snickering smile as he watched Sjin inspect the glove compartment.

“And you have your all ever handy hell handle.”

“Hell handle?” Sjin’s voice spun with his head as he looked for something with such an out of place name.

“It’s that handle above you.” A point without looking as Sips kept eyes to the road fell exactly to the object above the passenger side door. “The hell handle! It’s there to hold when you think everything’s going to hell.”

Sjin’s long fingers lopped around the handle, close to hoisting himself up off the seat as he tried to pull his arm tight to his side. “Do you drive so crazy that many people need to use this?” Sjin ate his words as the swerve of the car answered him, a serious swerve or a joking one he didn’t have time to ask.

“And rule number two.”

“There’s more than one rule?”

Sips pulled up the collar of his coat, scoffing at the comment. “Of course! This is one classy car, it’s gotta have its rules.” Clearing his throat to make it sound official, Sips’ finger taped at the radio. “When Freewill comes on the tape, you for no reason change the song.”

“You have a tape deck?!” Sjin’s hands flew to the front of the car, examining over the buttons with touch. He sat in awe of the past generation technology, “Wow, this is ancient!” He poked at harmless buttons a moment longer before he sat back up, the seat’s faux leather material squeaking behind him. “So, is there a third rule?”

“Of course,” Sips’ eyes followed the road even as Sjin leaned in closer. “Third rule is that we always stop for coffee. And for you, I’m getting you a twenty-four of timbits. Put some sugar on your bones.”

The hand movements from Sjin in his poor defence fell flat as he realized that weren’t helping his case. “What’s on my bones is perfectly fine.”

Along with his huff Sips tried to reword, “Well your bones are fine, but something to eat wouldn’t be bad now would it?” Sips relaxed as he watch the other deflate, “I mean, you were just out there, hitchhiking in a snowstorm, on the 401. If you don’t want a hot coffee and something to eat then then I’m pretty sure I just picked up some kind of undead hairless yeti.”

There was no harsh meaning behind the words, yet it triggered Sjin to slowly form into a ball once more. Sips cursed under his breath, feeling like his past attempts to get Sjin to open up just fell back to square one. His itch to pull out another cigarette increased as the stress and cold mingled in his chest, but it only took one quick glance to his side for Sips to give up his coat.

“Here, take this.” The awkward shuck off of his coat slid down the gentlemen scale from top to bottom as he tossed it to Sjin, not waiting for a gentle pass off.

Pulling it up by the sleeves Sjin looked over the old worn jacket, “I don’t need it.” It fell back to his lap with the release of his finger. Even with its weight creating warmth on his legs he still made no move to put it on.

“Oh come on, just put it on.” Sips’ voice tumbled over itself with his groan, “You’re a runaway, I understand.”

“No you don’t understand!” Sjin’s entire body snapped with his words, tensing under forced pressure. His arms clung to his side, in a failing attempt to hold himself together. “You don’t understand…”

Sips’ eyes dropped, his brow following. “Listen,” A heavy sigh fell out, forming a visual state at the edges of his lips. “I do understand.” The cassette hummed on static silence as it popped up, allowing Sips a moment to settle his words as he flipped the tape over. “You think you’re the only one to run from a life? You’re just a late bloomer.” His fingers paused before pushing the tape back in, slowly remembering what songs were on the B side.

“You leave one life, you start a new one. May not start off the best way, but it’ll get better.” He patted the coat more than Sjin’s knee, but the rhythm felt all the same. “And it’ll start getting better once you get warm, so put it on.”

Chin tucked down, and arms still tense, Sjin made no attempt to move. The hand on his leg weighed heavier than the coat, a signal of comfort he had almost forgotten through the past few days. He held himself back from asking the hand to stay as it was pulled back to the steering wheel, deciding instead to pull on the coat without a word.

Sinking into the warmth it still held from Sips comforted him further, finding something to finally stop his shivers. The extra size was perfect to pull his arms into the body of the jacket, ignoring the sleeves in favour of creating a cocoon, even slipping his knees up into the coat as well to wrap it off.

Sips looked over with a lighthearted chuckle, “Glad to see you’re liking it.” His hands traveled along the steering wheel as he turned into their off ramp, the pit stop sign practically a glowing beacon in the winter storm.

“It’s nice…” Sjin’s voice traveled as he turned back to the window, “You’re nice.”

Another timed turn as they pulled into the parking lot and Sips merely hummed, looking down the rows for an open spot that wasn’t occupied by vehicles or snow dunes.

“Can I just stay with you forever?” Sjin muffled himself with the collar of the coat, taking comfort in the easing sound of the truck as it crept into a clear parking spot. “I’ll just go where you go.”

Flipping the parking brake and pressing down to unbuckle himself, Sips could finally turn fully to face his mumbling passenger. “Can you work?”

“Work?” Sjin’s head lifted at the word.

“Yeah, work.” Throwing his hand about behind his seat Sips managed to pull out a thick scarf. “It’s where I’m headed. They need hands for this construction job.”

Sjin shook his head in confusion. “Construction? In the winter?”

“You think progress stops because of a bit of snow?” Sweeping the fabric around his neck Sips pulled his keys from the ignition, giving them an easy toss before sticking them in his jean pocket. “It’s not much, but it’s a job. So if you can work, you can join me.”

Shuffling around in the stretched out coat Sjin held on the thought. He looked back to Sips with his hastily tied scarf and felt a laugh push out again. “Well, a bit of work won’t be bad.” His hands emerged from behind the jacket to fix the presentation of the poorly knotted scarf, “Doesn’t start off the best way, but it’ll get there… I like that.”

“It’s the truth.”

“You still getting to the better part then?” Sjin chuckled as he made the last finishing touches before watching Sips’ expression catch on.

“I’m still working to it, but think I’m almost in the clear.” It was the first time Sips had a full moment to look at Sjin’s eyes. The lines at his eyes showed he was one to smile, that he might have lost it along with his run, but Sips could feel he was fighting to hide one behind his beard. “And I’ll tell you, my mind will be clearer once I get some coffee into me, and a cheese danish for you!”

“Psh, no.” Waving his hands in dismissal Sjin turned to lift up the lock to open his side door. “You can have the danish.”

“Well I’m already getting one, but you need one! Or a muffin, a doughnut, a curler?” The list extended as Sips spouted them over the top of his car, walking around the other side to meet sjin. “And two coffees, and maybe a sandwich.”

“You’re too nice.” Sjin’s eyes fell to the pavement, feeling his smile grow. The sound of fresh snow crunching under his shoes could only distract him so much before the gentle bump to his side brought his vision back up. Another glance at a grinning Sips reminded him to look up. “I owe you.”

“No you don’t!” Sips piped louder, trying to get his volume to create the winning argument.

“I do.” Sjin bumped Sips back, surprising himself with another laugh.

“Hardly.” He returned the knock before rushing up to hold the door open.

Sjin smiled wider as he rolled his eyes, turning backwards as he walked through the door to direct his words at Sips, “I owe you a coffee.”

Heading into the warmth of the store Sips followed quickly behind, rubbing his hands together before landing one on Sjin’s shoulder. He could feel the smile shining off of him, sparking a warmth that overpowered that of the building.

“A coffee? That I can do.”


End file.
